There is nothing better than thirst-quenching cold beer on hot summer evenings, and many Japanese would probably agree that one of the best snacks to match with beer is young green soybeans, known as edamame in Japanese.
Many people love edamame beans because they are inexpensive, tasty and easy to prepare -- just boil the still green and soft bean pods for several minutes, drain and sprinkle with salt. Once you start popping the beans out of the pods into your mouth, you can hardly stop.
Edamame are practically unknown in the Western diet -- they are seldom eaten even in the United States, the largest soybean producer in the world. Immature soybeans are a popular snack, however, in such Asian countries as Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.